Environment

National Parks and Protected Areas

The Government of Mongolia has 4 designated types of protected area; National Parks, Natural Monuments, Nature Reserves and Strictly Protected Areas. With differing levels of financial support and protection.

National Parks

1. Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur. Arkhangai Aimag. Spectacular volcano. 77,276Ha

2. Hovsgol Nuur. Hovsgol Aimag. Beautiful and scenic fresh water lake. 838,070Ha

3. Gobi Gurvansaikhan. Omnogobi & Bayankhongor Aimags. 2,171,737Ha

4. Gorkhi-Terelj. Tov Aimag. Unususal and scenic rock formations. 293,168Ha

5. Khustain Nuruu. Tov Aimag. Home of the Takhi, wild horse. 50,620Ha

6. Altai Tavanbogd. Bayan-Olgi Aimag. Alpine mountains and wild life. 636,161Ha

7. Khangai Nuruu. Arkhaingai, Ovorkhangai & Bayankhongor Aimags. Mountains. 888,455Ha

8. Khar Us Nuur. Hovd Aimag. Home to rare birds and wildlife. 850,272Ha

9. Noyonkhangai. Arkhangai Aimag. Rare flora and fauna, mountains. 59,088Ha

10.Tarvagatain. Arkhangai & Zavkhan Aimags. Selenge catchment area. 525,440Ha

11. Siilkhemiin Uul. Bayan-Olgi Aimag. Mountains and rare wildlife. 140,080Ha

12. Khankhokhii-Khyargas Nuur. Uvs Aimag. Home to rare & endangered wildlife. 553,350Ha

13. Tsambagarav Uul. Hovd & Bayan-Olgi Aimags. Mountain. Snow Leopards. 110,960Ha

14. Onon-Balj Basin. Henti & Dornod Aimags. Rare taiga forest. 414,752Ha

Strictly Protected Areas

1. Khasagtkhairkhan. Gobi-Altai Aimag. Mountain. Rare wildlife. 27,651Ha

2. Bogdkhan Uul. Tov Aimag. Mountain close to Ulaan Baatar. 41,651Ha

3. Great Gobi. Gobi A - Gobi-Altai & Bayankhongor Aimags. Gobi B - Hovd & Gobi-Altai Aimags. Vast tracts of Gobi desert and rare wildlife. UN International Biosphere Reserve. 5,311,730Ha

4. Khokhserkhiin Nuruu. Hovd & Bayan-Olgi Aimags. The crest of the Altai mountains. 65,920Ha

5. Mongol Daguur. Dornod Aimag. Rolling steppe and wetlands. 103,016Ha

6. Easern Steppe. Dornod & Sukhbattar Aimags. Giant herds of wild Gazelle. 570,374Ha

7. Nomrog. Dornod Aimag. Manchurian flora & fauna. 311,205Ha

8. Otgontenger Uul. Zavkhan Aimag. Rich biodiversity and mountains. 95,510Ha

9. Khankhenti Nuruu. Tov, Khenti & Selenge Aimags. 5 types of Taiga landscape. 1,227,074Ha

10. Uvs Lake Basin. Uvs Aimag. Rare ecological zone of permafrost & sand dunes. 712,545Ha

11. Small Gobi. SE Gobi Aimag. Rare and endangered wildlife. Part of Gobi A/B above.

12. Khoridosaridag Nuruu. Hovsgol Aimag. Tundra, Taiga and steppe mountains. 188,634Ha

Natural Monuments

1. Bulgan Uul. Arkhangai Aimag. Special local microclimate. 1,800Ha

2. Uran-Togoo-Tulga Uul. Bulgan Aimag. Unique inactive volcano, 5,800Ha

3. Khuisiin Naiman Nuur. Ovorkhangai Aimag. 8 beautiful freshwater lakes. 11,500Ha

4. Eejkhairkhan Uul. Govi-Altai Aimag. Rare geological form of mountains. 22,475Ha

5. Ganga Nuur. Sukhbattar Aimag. Beautiful freswater lake with its own microclimate. 32,860Ha

6. Suikhent. Dornogobi Aimag. Rare petrified trees. 4,830Ha

Nature Reserves

1. Batkhan Uul. Ovorkhangai & Tov Aimags. Beautiful scenery close to main road. 58,800Ha

2. Nagalkhan Uul. Tov Aimag. Khenti mountains and forest steppe. 3,076Ha

3. Bulgan Gol. Hovd Aimag. Protests special river species. 1,840Ha

4. Lkhachinvandad Uul. Sukhbattar Aimag. Protects rare habitat for Elk. 58,500Ha

5. Ugtam Uul. Dornod Aimag. Transition area, forest steppe to steppe zones. 46,160Ha

6. Sharga-Mankhan. Hovd & Govi-Altai Aimags. Home of rare Mongolian antelope. 390,071Ha

7. Alagkhairkhan. Govi-Altai Aimag. Supports very rare plant & wildlife species. 36,400Ha

8. Burkhanbuudai Uul. Gobi-Altai Aimag. Many unique rock formations. 52,110Ha

9. Ikh Nart. Dornogobi Aimag. Designated to extend Argali (Blue Sheep) territory. 43,740Ha

10. Zagiin Us. Dundgobi & Omnogobi Aimags. Circular salt marshes and valley. 273,606Ha

11. Ergeliin Zoo. Dornogobi Aimag. Dinosaur fossil area. Also called Altan Uul. 60,910Ha

12. Khognokhan Uul. Bulgan Aimag. Several different vegetation and climatic zones. 46,990Ha

13. Toson-Khulstai. Henti & Dornod Aimags. Protection for the White Tailed Gazelle. 469,928Ha

14. Khar Yamaat. Henti & Sukhbattar Aimags. Rare plants and Aspen groves. 50,594Ha

15. Yakhi Lake. Dornod Aimag. Protects Gazelle and bird migration. 251,388Ha

16. Devel Aral (Island). Bayan-Olgi & Uvs Aimags. Home to rare birds & wildlife. 10,300Ha

Natural Resources

Mongolia contains forests of larch, pine, and cedar in the mountains, but these are of little economic importance. Furbearing animals, especially marmot and squirrel, are abundant, and the country has a well-developed fur industry. Rich prairie land in the northeast and northwest supports large herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. Mineral resources such as coal, iron, copper, fluorspar, gold, uranium, and silver have not been fully exploited.

Environmental Issues

Deforestation and livestock overgrazing have made some areas of Mongolia prone to soil erosion in wind and rain storms. Overgrazing in pasturelands adjacent to the Gobi has led to desertification, a process whereby soils become degraded by vegetation loss. Some rivers and lakes receive pollutants such as agricultural runoff, industrial wastes, and untreated sewage. Only 87 percent of urban residents and 30 percent of rural inhabitants have access to safe drinking water (2004). The burning of soft coal and the concentration of factories in Ulaanbaatar cause severe air pollution in the valley of the Tuul River when the air is stagnant, especially in winter.

Bagganuur Coal mine close to Ulaan Baatar Mongolia is rich in natural resources including: Coal, Uranium, Gold and Copper.	Mongolia is so vast even this stuck 9 tonne truck causes no lasting damage
In winter Ulaan Baatar can suffer from smog. Areas of high pressure can hover over the area for weeks on end	Land of the big blue sky Mongolia has on average the most clear sky days of any country.

Awareness of these problems led the government of Mongolia to create the Ministry of Environmental Protection in 1987. Protecting Hövsgöl Lake from industrial and shipping pollution were among its highest priorities. Since the early 1990s the government has created numerous nature reserves, and 13.9 percent (2007) of the country’s land area is officially protected. The government also has ratified international environmental agreements on biodiversity, desertification, ozone layer protection, endangered species, and other issues.

Population

Mongolia is a sparsely inhabited country. The population is 2,996,081 (2008 estimate), yielding an overall population density of 1.9 persons per sq km (4.9 per sq mi). Traditionally a land of nomads, Mongolia had little urban settlement until the second half of the 20th century. The development of industries after World War II led to increasing urbanization. Today 57 percent of the population lives in urban areas. The country’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, is the only large city, with a population of 869,900 (2004 estimate). Initially, most industrialization occurred in Ulaanbaatar, and its population grew rapidly after 1950. Other industrial centers were created in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with Soviet assistance, including Darhan, Erdenet, and Choybalsan.

Dinosaurs

The Gobi Desert is where all the famous dinosaur fossils have been found.